BMP Signaling Goes Posttranscriptional in a microRNA Sort of Way

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression correlates with human diseases such as cardiac disorders and cancer. Treatment of such disorders using miRNA-targeted therapeutics requires a thorough understanding of miRNA regulation in vivo. A recent paper in Nature by Davis et al. expands our understanding of miRNA biogenesis and maturation, elucidating a mechanism by which extracellular signaling directs cell differentiation via posttranscriptional regulation of miRNA expression

An Analysis of Putative Roles for the CCR4-NOT Deadenylase-Complex Subunit Regena (NOT2) in microRNA-Mediated Gene Silencing in \u3cem\u3eDrosophila Melanogaster\u3c/em\u3e

microRNAs (miRNAs) are one class of small non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules essential to development and homeostasis in plants and animals. miRNAs silence gene expression through complementary base pairing with target gene messenger RNAs and association with the miRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC). The identification and characterization of cellular factors required for miRNA-mediated gene silencing is incomplete. A forward genetic screen was carried out in Drosophila melanogaster to generate flies defective for gene silencing. Silencing was assayed by expression of a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reporter fused to the Brd gene 3’ UTR, which is regulated by miRNAs. Genetic analysis revealed that the CCR4-NOT deadenylase-complex subunit Regena (NOT2) is required for miRNA-mediated silencing of the reporter. In addition, perturbation of Regena function altered Drosophila eye development and resulting adult eye morphology. miRNAs are thought to silence target gene expression through a combination of translational repression and target mRNA degradation, though the detailed mechanism of this process is a matter of controversy. Novel genetic reagents to explore miRNA function in vivo have been generated and characterized. Ongoing efforts aim to explore whether Regena is required to silence other miRNA targets in vivo, and whether Regena is required for miRNA-mediated gene silencing at different stages of the Drosophila life cycle. Elucidation of the lesion in the Regena (NOT2) gene and the molecular nature of GFP reporter silencing will contribute to an understanding of the mechanism of miRNA-mediated gene silencing in vivo

A microRNA Imparts Robustness against Environmental Fluctuation during Development

The microRNA miR-7 is perfectly conserved from annelids to humans, and yet some of the genes that it regulates in Drosophila are not regulated in mammals. We have explored the role of lineage restricted targets, using Drosophila , in order to better understand the evolutionary significance of microRNA-target relationships. From studies of two well characterized developmental regulatory networks, we find that miR-7 functions in several interlocking feedback and feedforward loops, and propose that its role in these networks is to buffer them against perturbation. To directly demonstrate this function for miR-7, we subjected the networks to temperature fluctuation and found that miR-7 is essential for the maintenance of regulatory stability under conditions of environmental flux. We suggest that some conserved microRNAs like miR-7 may enter into novel genetic relationships to buffer developmental programs against variation and impart robustness to diverse regulatory networks

Coupled opto-electronic simulation of organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells: parameter extraction and sensitivity analysis

A general problem arising in computer simulations is the number of material and device parameters, which have to be determined by dedicated experiments and simulation-based parameter extraction. In this study we analyze measurements of the short-circuit current dependence on the active layer thickness and current-voltage curves in poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) based solar cells. We have identified a set of parameter values including dissociation parameters that describe the experimental data. The overall agreement of our model with experiment is good, however a discrepancy in the thickness dependence of the current-voltage curve questions the influence of the electric field in the dissociation process. In addition transient simulations are analyzed which show that a measurement of the turn-off photocurrent can be useful for estimating charge carrier mobilities.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in Journal of Applied Physic

From Observers to Participants: Joining the Scientific Community

In this essay, we have integrated the voices of our mentors and students to explore 45 years of undergraduate research experiences and their role in shaping our scientific community. In considering our collective experiences, we see undergraduate involvement in research as a rich source of community development, one that has both touched our lives and influenced our teaching

Rain volume estimation over areas using satellite and radar data

The analysis of 18 convective clusters demonstrates that the extension of the Area-Time-Integral (ATI) technique to the use of satellite data is possible. The differences of the internal structures of the radar reflectivity features, and of the satellite features, give rise to differences in estimating rain volumes by delineating area; however, by focusing upon the area integrated over the lifetime of the storm, it is suggested that some of the errors produced by the differences in the cloud geometries as viewed by radar or satellite are minimized. The results are good and future developments should consider data from different climatic regions and should allow for implementation of the technique in a general circulation model

A Role for Actin, Cdc1p, and Myo2p in the Inheritance of Late Golgi Elements in \u3cem\u3eSaccharomyces cerevisiae\u3c/em\u3e

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Golgi elements are present in the bud very early in the cell cycle. We have analyzed this Golgi inheritance process using fluorescence microscopy and genetics. In rapidly growing cells, late Golgi elements show an actin-dependent concentration at sites of polarized growth. Late Golgi elements are apparently transported into the bud along actin cables and are also retained in the bud by a mechanism that may involve actin. A visual screen for mutants defective in the inheritance of late Golgi elements yielded multiple alleles of CDC1. Mutations in CDC1 severely depolarize the actin cytoskeleton, and these mutations prevent late Golgi elements from being retained in the bud. The efficient localization of late Golgi elements to the bud requires the type V myosin Myo2p, further suggesting that actin plays a role in Golgi inheritance. Surprisingly, early and late Golgi elements are inherited by different pathways, with early Golgi elements localizing to the bud in a Cdc1p- and Myo2p-independent manner. We propose that early Golgi elements arise from ER membranes that are present in the bud. These two pathways of Golgi inheritance in S. cerevisiae resemble Golgi inheritance pathways in vertebrate cells